Friday, December 9, 2016

Fossil Free Friday: 2 More DIY Oddball E-Bike options

Two bikes that have snared a lot of attention lately on Mesquite Hugger are the Super 73 and the Monday Motors M-1 (formerly the Bolt.) And I can definitely see why. Both hearken back to a childhood hot rod spirit while also filling the bill for people who are tired of trashing the earth for their own personal transport and fun. Kind of a best-of-both-worlds thing for considerably less commitment than a Tesla.

Another part of their appeal (for me at least) is this sense of DIY adventure. I can hear the voice of the Rusty saying over coffee, "Oh yeah, we could build that. That sounds like a great project." (Rusty, Lubbock already misses you and that let's-build-the-crap-out-of-it glint in your eye.) Shoot, I already built an electric minibike and have gathered up all the pieces for an electric moped. This is a do-able thing, people.

Apparently, we are not the only ones who think so. As evidence, I offer up the Luna Banana and the HopMod.

Since Grizz ordered the Sondors bike, I have been paying a lot more attention to the offerings from Luna Cycles. Recently, a pair of maxi-minibike variations have popped up on their website. The Luna Banana (pedal only model) is a big kid dream come true - a big honking minibke you can pedal around on. If I lived near a boardwalk, I'd much rather be the dork on this thing than a nerd on a fat bike or a dweeb on a beach cruiser. It's got an 8-speed drivetrain and disk brakes at both ends. Pretty cool stuff! And, it has lots of room for batteries and motors and all kinds of good stuff. (Or you could just pedal it around, which would not be a bad thing at all.) Lots more info below:

For those of you with fewer ambitions or less time or more money, you can also buy one that's already impressively electrified:

On top of all these things, Luna can upgrade you to a much bigger motor and a much bigger battery for $325. That's a massive amount of power and range for this maxi-mini. (Make sure your emergency room insurance is paid up!) But in comparison with lots of other bikes out there, this thing is pretty inexpensive. And you can get it in red, white, or black - your three favorite colors! Nope, it's not the cargo-bike-of-my-dreams, but it may be just the thing for the hooligan you want to be.

The HopMod (for you Monday MotorBikes fans and for my buddy FlatTracker 23)

Okay, so you're not into the minibike thing as much as the BMX/flat-track/motocross/hot-rod/moped thing. The HopMod may be right up your two-wheeled alley. It's early in the Kickstarter phase right now.

Yep, this might look easier to put together than the Indigan moped kit for the DIY M-1 post. A lot of thought has gone into making this frame a universal platform with lots of room for personalization, and batteries and a motor. And you can get it in three stages of development:

Just a frame

Pledge Level 1

Frame and electric mid-drive setup

Pledge Level 2

The whole enchilada (and it does come painted)

Pledge Level 3

Once again, that's a whole lot of bike for the money, and this one comes from deep in the heart of Texas - San Antonio to be exact. For you nearby readers, this is your chance to shop local. (Remember the Alamo, Pee Wee!)

May you adopt your dream green vehicle, and may it be a joyous and earth-saving thing!